Through A Heart's Eye
by Tracy Diane Miller
Summary: This very short story was inspired by "The Wedding" and explores the theme of first love.


Through A Heart's Eye  
  
Summary: This very short story was inspired by "The Wedding" and explores the theme of first love.  
  
Disclaimer: Early Edition characters belong to their creators. No copyright infringement intended. No profit is being made.  
  
Author: Tracy Diane Miller E-mail address: tdmiller82@hotmail.com  
  
  
  
Through A Heart's Eye  
  
Who can forget their first love, that uniquely special time in one's life when the heart springs open like a virgin flower? First love has innocence, like the nakedness of a newborn before he or she is clothed in inhibitions. First love is fresh, wonderful, exciting, intensive, and all consuming. First love is unspoiled by cynicism. Its memory promises to last forever. It does. Even if the relationship prematurely ends, extinguished like hopeful embers of a campfire doused by water, the memory endures.  
  
But when you 're young and experiencing your first love, you see the world through a heart's eye. You see a world with endless possibilities. You see your love as everlasting.  
  
It was the Fall of 1984. The trees had started shedding their leaves and stood naked in recognition of the changing season. The freshly cut grass outside the library of The University of Chicago emitted a wonderfully intoxicating scent. A robin sat perched in a tree, its soft chirps a welcomed respite from the loud traffic competing for attention from a nearby street.  
  
They sat on the grass. His Statistics book was open, but his gaze was focused only on her. She, in turn, tried studying a book of romantic poets for her English Literature class. The immortal words of Elizabeth Barrett Browning's "Sonnets from The Portuguese" professing a love that survived death, stared at her from the page. But he stared at her, too, with those alluring mud green eyes that had the power to make her heart skip a beat and hold her concentration on other things hostage.  
  
She was his "genie" in a bottle, the one that made all his wishes come true.  
  
She felt his eyes on her. "Gary, we're supposed to be studying." Genie reminded, looking up from her book at him.  
  
"I am." He whispered. He studied her intently for a moment, drinking in her beauty. He smiled at her, his eyes dancing mischievously. Then he leaned over and stole a kiss, tender and lingering. Not that he had to steal a kiss, but his spontaneity was one of the things about him that excited her.  
  
And he couldn't believe that he had found a woman who complemented him so perfectly- her shyness and her insecurities matched his own. And like him, she did not have a blueprint for her life. They both lacked direction, but that was okay. They were young and in love. Life wasn't about planning and worrying. It was about exploring each day.... Together.  
  
Gary smiled at her again. He still remembered the first time he laid eyes on her.  
  
It was the beginning of junior year in high school. He was standing at his opened locker hunting for his Geometry book when he felt a slight tap on his shoulder. When he closed his locker, his eyes locked with the beautiful girl who asked him for directions to Mr. Thomson's Geometry class. His palms felt sweaty. His mouth was dry. He stuttered, nervously telling her that he was in that class and that he'd walk with her. Then she told him her name, Genie Berlatski...Genie, a magical name almost as magical as the fluttering sensation that he felt from his heart.  
  
They entered the class. She sat next to him. Mr. Thomson was at the blackboard writing out last night's math homework. Students were scribbling in their notebooks. But all he could do was stare at her. A few moments later, Mr. Thomson called on him, something about an "obtuse triangle". Silence. He finally heard his name again, but he met the teacher's question with a "Huh?" that was as confused as the obtuse triangle. The class erupted in laughter. Mr. Thomson looked at him sternly. He blushed slightly hating that he was center of attention. But she smiled at him. And somehow everything felt okay.  
  
He wanted to ask her out on a date, but he was afraid that she'd say no. He was never good at asking girls out; he always felt so nervous and tongue- tied. Not that he spent Saturday nights sitting home, either. There were a lot of aggressive girls at Hickory High School who let him know that they were interested and who would ask him out.  
  
But Genie was different from all those other girls. She was special.  
  
He had spent days rehearsing at his bath room mirror. It was Friday and he resolved that today was the day that he'd ask her out for a date. He was thinking that they could go to a movie then afterwards for a burger. If only the butterflies would stop swirling around in his stomach.  
  
He had such a difficult time eating breakfast that morning because he was so nervous. Of course, that didn't stop Mom from piling his plate with blueberry pancakes, scrambled eggs and bacon, fruit, and toast. Usually, he had such a healthy appetite. Dad guessed that he was nervous because of a girl and teased him about it. Mom smiled, smoothed his hair, and kissed him on the cheek. Without missing a beat, Mom insisted that he invite his "girlfriend" over for dinner soon because she was dying to meet her. Great the Hobson inspection. He cringed anticipating all the questions that his parents would ask Genie (assuming that he could ask her out for a date and then if that went well, muster the courage to invite her to his house sometime for dinner). Mom would be the worst. He just prayed that Mom wouldn't follow her Inquisition with a trip down memory lane by pulling out his baby pictures!  
  
As it was, Genie did agree to go out with him. She had initially hesitated in answering his question, which he had interpreted as a no. Then she rambled nervously about how she learned that he was a big athlete at school and knew that a lot of popular girls were interested in him. She worried because she wasn't one of the popular girls; she was just an average girl. She blushed slightly over her confession, her insecurities evident.  
  
Their love flourished that year. And she had awakened in him a spontaneity that he never realized that he possessed. The next year, after graduation, they agreed that they would go to Chicago together. They had no idea where their lives were heading. The only thing that they were certain about was that they would be together.... Forever.  
  
They were young and in love. They were seeing the world through a heart's eye. And the world never looked more beautiful.  
  
The End. 


End file.
